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Last updated on the 6 August 2024 by Maeve
Mini Biography
Born: 24 January 1959, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.
Born James Roderick Moir, Vic Reeves’ path to comedy wasn’t exactly conventional. After studying for a mechanical engineering apprenticeship and working as a factory inspector, his creative side started itching. He joined the band “The Fashionable Five,” known more for their onstage pranks than musical prowess. This early foray into performance set the stage for his comedic transformation.
In the 1980s, Moir rechristened himself Vic Reeves, a self-proclaimed “top light entertainer.” He developed his craft on the London comedy circuit, developing a distinct persona. Reeves’ act was a chaotic blend of character comedy, audience participation and surreal humour. It was during this period that a chance encounter with fellow comedian Bob Mortimer blossomed into a legendary double act. Their shared love for the absurd and knack for physical comedy proved to be a match made in comedic heaven.
Vic and Bob, as they became known, took British television by storm in the early 1990s with “Vic Reeves Big Night Out.” The show was a chaotic whirlwind of sketches, audience games and nonsensical celebrity interviews. Recurring characters like “The Milky Way Cops” and “Man with Trousers Head” cemented their reputation for the bizarre and hilarious. Their success continued with “The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer,” further solidifying their place as cult comedy icons.
Concerning Vic Reeves’ personal life, he was previously married to Sarah Vincent and currently shares two children with his wife Nancy Sorrell, whom he met on the reality show “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!”
Beyond comedy, Vic Reeves has surprised audiences with his artistic talent. A self-taught painter, his work has been exhibited in several galleries.
Suggested viewing
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) (2000)
Bftv 8.5 / IMDb 6.6
A hapless, bumbling private detective finds his world turned upside down when his murdered partner returns as a ghostly sidekick. Together, the mismatched duo tackle bizarre cases, blending humour and mystery as they grapple with the complexities of the living world with the added challenge of their spectral colleague.
Top cast: Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer, Emilia Fox, Charlie Higson, Tom Baker, Melissa Knatchbull, Jessica Hynes, Hugh Laurie, Charles Dance, Peter Bowles, Paul Whitehouse, Derek Jacobi, George Baker.
Vic and Bob’s Big Night Out (2018)
Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 7.8
Marking a 25-year anniversary, this comedy series reunites Vic and Bob. Expect musical guests, silly sketches and buckets of nonsensical fun as they revisit their signature style for a new generation.
Top cast: Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer, Vaun Earl Norman, Matt Berry, Nancy Sorrell.
Hebburn (2012)
Bftv 8.0 / IMDb 7.2
A surprise Vegas wedding between a working-class lad and a middle-class Jewish girl throws his family life into chaos. Culture clashes, family secrets and the challenges of parenthood ensue in this heartwarming sitcom.
Top cast: Chris Ramsey, Gina McKee, Kimberley Nixon, Vic Reeves, Lisa McGrillis, Victoria Elliott, Pat Dunn, Neil Grainger, Jason Cook.
House of Fools (2014)
Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 7.4
The show features Vic and Bob’s mix of quick jokes and surreal humor in a sitcom style. It includes musical performances to drive the story, unexpected events that interrupt the flow, random jokes, inappropriate humour and eccentric characters.
Top cast: Vic Reeves, Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer, Matt Berry, Morgana Robinson, Dan Renton Skinner, Daniel Simonsen, Ellie White, Reece Shearsmith, Rufus Jones, Tony Way, Arabella Weir, Nikki Amuka-Bird.
The Smell of Reeves
and Mortimer (1993)
Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 7.8
This sketch comedy dives into the absurd, following a nonsensical duo as they navigate bizarre situations. Expect flying fish, musical instruments played with vegetables and plenty of nonsensical wordplay, all delivered with a distinctly British twist.
Top cast: Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer, Charlie Chuck, Patrick Allen, Charlie Higson, Paul Whitehouse, Mark Williams, Matt Lucas, John Thomson, Trevor Peacock, Morwenna Banks, Caroline Aherne.
Vic Reeves Big Night Out (1990)
Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 7.5
This cult classic comedy parodies variety shows. Vic and Bob introduce an absurd cast of characters, nonsensical sketches and quirky musical numbers, all delivered with a healthy dose of anarchic humour.
Top cast: Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer, Fred Aylward, Charlie Higson, Emma Cafferty, Dudley Freeman, Simon Day, Paul Whitehouse.
Catterick (2004)
Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 7.9
Two estranged brothers reunite, one seeking his lost son. Their search takes a bizarre turn as they encounter a murderous stalker, a gung-ho American cop and a hilariously unpleasant hotel owner, all amidst the surreal humour of a British village.
Top cast: Bob Mortimer, Vic Reeves, Morwenna Banks, Mark Benton, Tim Healy, Matt Lucas, Reece Shearsmith, Charlie Higson, Mark Gatiss, Dora Bryan.
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